SA urged to continue Tata’s long walk to reconciliation

Former President Nelson Mandela has been hailed worldwide as a peace maker and advocate of reconciliation.

Indeed, if there is one thing on which most South Africans agree, it is that without Mandela’s dediation to reconciliation SA’s transition to democracy would not have been as successful as it has been, although the process of reconciliation is far from over.

Madiba said: “In the end, reconciliation is a spiritual process, which requires more than just a legal framework. It has to happen in the hearts and minds of people.”

He also said: “If there are dreams about a beautiful SA, there are also roads that lead to their goal. Two of these roads could be named Goodness and Forgiveness.”

It remains every citizen of SA’s responsibility to advance the unfinished process of reconciliation by following Madiba’s example of overcoming intolerance and personal retribution with goodness and forgiveness.

We owe this as a debt of thanks to Madiba, a duty to our families and fellow South Africans and a responsibility to both ourselves and the world.

Mandela’s emphasis on reconciliation in the midst of conflict, resentment and uncertainty is his greatest legacy to both SA and the world.

Mandela’s championing of reconciliation in SA helped make it the most highly desired outcome for political conflict internationally based on sacrifice, humility, the development of consensus and an acceptable solution for all parties instead of a winner-takes-all outcome.

During his address to the people of Cape Town at the Grand Parade to celebrate his election as president of SA he said: “Our plan is to create jobs, promote peace and reconciliation, and to guarantee freedom for all South Africans.”

At his inauguration as State President at the Union Buildings in Pretoria on May 10 1994, Mandela urged South Africans to “act together as a united people, for national reconciliation, for nation building, for the birth of a new world”. However, Mandela also stressed that reconciliation was not possible without reconstruction; nation building without development.

Presenting his budget debate opening address in Parliament after 100 days in office Mandela stressed the reality that the progress we make in reconciling our nation will determine the pace at which reconstruction and development is achieved.

At the 49th session of the General Assembly of the United Nations in 1994, Madiba said: “Our watchwords must be justice, peace, reconciliation and nation building in the pursuit of a democratic, nonracial and nonsexist country.

“In all we do, we have to ensure the healing of the wounds inflicted on all our people across the great dividing line imposed on our society by centuries of colonialism and apartheid. We must ensure that colour, race and gender become only a God-given gift to each one of us and not an indelible mark or attribute that accords a special status to any.”

Delivering the keynote address at the Nelson Mandela Memorial Dialogue at the Nelson Mandela Foundation in Johannesburg on December 5 2016 then Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa emphasised that for all the progress we have made, there is still more to do.

“We have, as Madiba said, climbed a great hill. Yet we know there are many more hills still to climb. Too many of our people go hungry. Too many of our children do not finish school. Too many people cannot find work. Too many people live in fear. Too many people have yet to fully realise the rights contained in the Constitution that Madiba signed into law 20 years ago.”

Ramaphosa called on all South Africans to work together to build a society which belongs to all who live in it.

“We call on South Africans to continue Madiba’s long walk. We are a resilient people. We are an industrious people.

“Let us remember how Madiba characterised his journey through life. Let us make Madiba’s journey our journey. Let us make Madiba’s long walk our own long walk.

“I miss Madiba more when I remember his moving and touching words about his journey when he said:

‘I have walked that long road to freedom. ‘I have tried not to falter. ‘I have made missteps along the way.

‘But I have discovered the secret that after climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb.

‘I have taken a moment here to rest, to steal a view of the glorious vista that surrounds me, to look back on the distance I have come.

‘But I can rest only for a moment, for with freedom comes responsibilities, and I dare not linger, for my long walk is not yet ended.’

“I, too, dare not linger for my long walk has not yet ended,” said Ramaphosa.